Pages

Friday, January 4, 2013

SNAP Challenge - Menu and Recipes for Day Three

Salvation Army Food Pantry

Emergency Food Box

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I want to start with numbers tonight. Most folks who receive SNAP benefits exhaust them long before the end of the month is reached. While many believe that's because they've squandered their allotments, the brutal truth is the benefits provided by the system are not large enough to feed families or individuals for a full month. Fortunately, at least in most states, there are programs, usually administered by service organizations or groups with religious affiliations, that pick up the slack. Bob and I spent the day visiting food pantries that provide emergency food relief for people in our area. Oregon is a state where chronic unemployment was a problem long before the great recession affected the rest of the nation. That means we had a workable distribution system in place when the rolls of SNAP participants exploded during the recession. While what is done here may not be elegant, the logistics are efficient and surplus food reaches the poor who need the safety net it provides. Our program may not mirror what is done in your state, but because it is the one I know, I want to share it with you. The county in which I live has a large food bank that gleans and gathers surplus food from many sources and makes it available to food pantries throughout the area. Its operation is funded by the county and additional money that comes from fund raisers and individual donations. The pantries are responsible for getting food to those who need it. While they receive surplus food from the county, they are responsible for distribution costs to recipients. The county is divided into geographical distribution areas, and the size and hours of operation vary from one location to another. All, however, share a common distribution policy. There are no true means tests. Recipients must provide proof of an address and sign a declaration of need that is based on family income. There is no waiting period and once that document is signed they are eligible for emergency food assistance. That means they are entitled to one food box a month. A fail safe within the system gives participants access to four additional boxes every year. Recipients do not get to "shop" for the contents of their food baskets. The boxes are put together by agency staff and the contents depend on what is available at the time of the request and the make-up of the family. The value of the box falls within guidelines that depend on the size of the family. A box for one will contain food items worth $25. A box for two is valued at $40, while the box for a family of seven, the limit supported by the program, is $70. Obviously, the food pantries are one place where the system can be scammed. You must, however, remember that most are run by religious organizations and these folks practice the gospel that they preach. Rather than refuse one hungry man, they feed all who come their way. A recognition, perhaps, that hunger of the spirit is even more devastating than that of the body. Most SNAP participants supplement their allotments with food that is provided by food pantries and that makes them an important weapon in the fight against hunger. They are a godsend for the working poor.

Menu for SNAP Challenge Day Three

Breakfast

Orange Juice
Coffee
* Maple Baked Oatmeal with Milk
Corn Muffins

Lunch

Leftover Potato Soup
Open-Faced Toasted Cheese Sandwiches

Dinner

Small Tossed Salad with Oil and Vinegar Dressing
* Chicken and Noodle Casserole

You are really serious about this experiment, I am very interested about the information you are sharing with us. I think we will give that maple oatmeal a try, it sounds VERY good. Keep up the great posts!!

Very interesting.I visited a food pantry /women & childrens' restaurant in Spokane.They feed a chef prepared meal ( chefs from the city hotels, restaurants, etc. volunteer)to women & children 3 or 4 times a week.It is in the basement of a large inner city church. They set the tables nicely, and serve the food in a pleasant eating area, then send each family home with a bag of food full of whatever has been donated during the week. Really was impressed, and I am impressed by this.

As you said, I suppose these programs can be scammed, but I believe often the meals served and food taken home are the only good food the children will receive in many circumstances.And the people doing this are doing it because of their faith and their kindness.

It's sad that those few that do abuse the system ruin it for those families and individuals that are truly struggling. I'm glad your state has a system to help those families out... I would be interested to find out if AZ has something similar.I love being able to follow you through this challenge. It's been so informative. And the recipes are fantastic. I wish I would have had a place like this to come to for recipe ideas when I was struggling! :)

Mary - I haven't been commenting everyday, but I'm really enjoying your Snap posts. I think it's easy to forget that many don't have the means to create a meal like we do on a regular basis. You are doing a great job at educating and raising awareness.

I also think you're being very creative with your recipes! Sometimes it's nice to revisit these simple and humble dishes.

Yes, Mary. Our little church has its own 'Deacon's Pantry' and there are usually two or three months a year in which we make it the congregants' personal mission to stock the pantry for emergency needs ... no questions asked. There is very little abuse of the resource and often, folks approach our minister with the idea of making a box for a neighbor or friend who is sick that week and can't get out to shop or a family that has had a financial set-back (furnace bill, unexpected vet bill, or car repair) that would break the monthly budget and cause havoc for coming months ... food pantries are a good safety net that communities can sponsor. Another good post! Blessings to you!

Bless you & Hubby, Mary. I salute you for doing such a good cause. The way the system works is great. There's always the 'bad' ones that will abuse the system but then it's not something that you can control over. At least, majority will benefit from this. All the best!

One of my sisters is a manager at Bread of Life in Malden MA. She is really amazing. In my area I've only gotten free food from the Red Cross, although I know that there are several Churches that have food pantries. I'm lucky enough to have friends and family who help me out so I try to leave the pantries to people who don't have friends and family who can help them.

It's amazing what we take for granted - your menus make the very best of the food - sadly so many people these days don't have the cooking skills which would be of great help. It's heartbreaking that there is such a terrible need for this.Mary x

I work as a building manager for a low income senior complex. Many of my tenants receive both SNAP and a supplement food box. We have a program in the community where boxes are delivered, as many cannot go and pick up a box due to illness or lack of transportation. I appreciate your recipes, as I know they will taste good (I have been a blog follower for some time now) and plan on printing them out for those that might want them. Thank you.

Too long of a story to get into here, short version, I am getting active in local gov't. City council same night had to vote for emergency appropriations to the local food bank AND to begin a program providing habitat areas for a Kansas bread of snake possibly to become endangered. Food bank lost, snakes won...

What a world, what a world (but we were not done yet, private donations kept the bank running through the Holidays once the news hit the papers. And the names of the snake lovers are being bandied about on local social networks, so the next election will be more interesting... but I digress)

We have a large food bank as well, about 20 minutes away. I think our senior center gives seniors free lunch every day, plus there is Meals On Wheels. Of course these things are only for seniors, and that leaves out everyone else!

I'm really touched by what you are doing Mary. Here in Quebec, there is a lot of stuff to help people. Like you know, unemployed people received something like 600$ a month... It's not a lot when you have to feed yourself, a child pay the bills... I'm not at all surprise to know that lots of these aren't able to feed themselves for all the month (just like in the US)... It's very inspirational what you are doing... Like it!

Just to let everyone know the SNAP benefits that eligible families get is not nor has it ever been meant to fully fund a families entire monthly groceries. It is there to supplement them not totally replace. The program expects the recipients to use part of their cash income to make up the difference. Yes, I have experience with the program due to disability I have had to rely on assistance for twenty two years. I've taken the matter of not enough food stamps to my case worker when I was first on the program and that was what I was told. It's a help not replacement. I do well with my allotment since I do have to add from my monthly cash budget but I have made it and eat pretty well with numerous food allergies and diabetes. As you have found out it takes planning and being willing to cook from scratch your meals but it can be done.

Site Meter

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third-parties nor does it store information about your visit for use other than to analyze content performance through the use of cookies, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a a users prior visits to this website. Google's use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads. This blog is not responsible for the republishing of the content found here on other Web sites or media without the owners permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice